NewsWhore
09-23-2009, 05:10 PM
Just three months ago Wagner Mateo was on top of the world. His young career seemed promising and the signing of a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, which included a US$3.1 million signing bonus, meant that in the short-term he could provide some financial stability for his family.
But now Mateo is facing the reality that he might never play a single inning with the Cardinals.
According to published reports the contract, which was signed on 2 July 2009, included a provision that gave the Cardinals a 90-day window to void the contract, and the bonuses, for a variety of reasons, including medical difficulties. And that's when the hammer dropped.
During a series of medical examinations lasting close to two months, doctors discovered that Mateo had visual problems, with his right eye testing 20/30. The Cardinals and their doctors labeled this a pre-existing injury.
Edgar Mercedes, who runs the Born to Play academy where Mateo trained and represented him in negotiations, said that Mateo has 20/30 vision in his right eye, but that the eye has no nerve damage and there is no degenerative condition. "The kid always played with that. When they saw him (in Florida at their spring training complex) in Jupiter, he was killing the ball. When they came to the Dominican Republic, he was killing the ball. He's worn contacts all along. His vision hasn't gotten any worse than when he was crushing everyone," said Mercedes.
Neither Mercedes nor his family has commented on the issue. Mercedes is holding a tryout for his Born To Play Baseball academy players on Oct. 17 in the Dominican Republic at the La Academia complex, where Mateo will be in attendance. Luis Jolie, a speedy 16-year-old Dominican center fielder who became eligible to sign on July 2, will also be in attendance, as will Edward Salcedo (more on him later).
Mateo's $3.1 million bonus would have been the highest this year for a 16-year-old international amateur player, topping the $3 million the Yankees gave to Dominican catcher Gary Sanchez. The bonus also would have been the highest in franchise history, edging the $3 million the organization gave J.D. Drew in 1998.
www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=6535 (http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=6535)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)
But now Mateo is facing the reality that he might never play a single inning with the Cardinals.
According to published reports the contract, which was signed on 2 July 2009, included a provision that gave the Cardinals a 90-day window to void the contract, and the bonuses, for a variety of reasons, including medical difficulties. And that's when the hammer dropped.
During a series of medical examinations lasting close to two months, doctors discovered that Mateo had visual problems, with his right eye testing 20/30. The Cardinals and their doctors labeled this a pre-existing injury.
Edgar Mercedes, who runs the Born to Play academy where Mateo trained and represented him in negotiations, said that Mateo has 20/30 vision in his right eye, but that the eye has no nerve damage and there is no degenerative condition. "The kid always played with that. When they saw him (in Florida at their spring training complex) in Jupiter, he was killing the ball. When they came to the Dominican Republic, he was killing the ball. He's worn contacts all along. His vision hasn't gotten any worse than when he was crushing everyone," said Mercedes.
Neither Mercedes nor his family has commented on the issue. Mercedes is holding a tryout for his Born To Play Baseball academy players on Oct. 17 in the Dominican Republic at the La Academia complex, where Mateo will be in attendance. Luis Jolie, a speedy 16-year-old Dominican center fielder who became eligible to sign on July 2, will also be in attendance, as will Edward Salcedo (more on him later).
Mateo's $3.1 million bonus would have been the highest this year for a 16-year-old international amateur player, topping the $3 million the Yankees gave to Dominican catcher Gary Sanchez. The bonus also would have been the highest in franchise history, edging the $3 million the organization gave J.D. Drew in 1998.
www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=6535 (http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/?p=6535)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)